seabury



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet' 1.

S. SEABURY.

.BR-BEUR' 'LOADING oANNoN.

Patented July 26, 1892. 'I'Fgzv (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. SEABURY. BRBECH LOADING. CANNON.

No. 479,609. Patented July 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S. SEABURY. BRBBGH- LOADING CANNON.

No. 479,609. Patented July 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

BREcH-LOADING CANNON.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 479,609, dated July 26, .1892. Application lcd April12| 1892. Serial No. 428,753. (No model.)

.To all, whom it may concer/t;

lie it known that I, S.\.ui'ELS1:.-\ni nv, lientenaut in the lnitcd States Navy,rcsiding at Bergen loint, in the county'bf I Iudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement; in breech-Loading Cannon,ol` which the following is a speciiicatien, reference being had to the accompanying drawiilgs.

',lhis invention relates particularly to breech-loadingr cannon, in which, according to my United States patent, No. 425,581-, dated April 15, 1890, a screw breech-block movable directly back and forth into the breech of the gun is employed in combination with a swinging carrier which is hinged to the breech ot' the gun and into which the said block is rcceived when withdrawn from the breech and with a. swinging retractor which is hinged to the breech to move indepeiulentlyot` the said carrier for the-purpose ot' withdrawing the said block from the breech into the said carrier and pushing it therefrom into the breech. In the gun represented in that patent for illustrating the invention therein claimed the necessary turning ot' the breech-block preparatory to its withdrawal from the gun and the swinging movement of the retractor to cfteet the withdrawal are produced by separately-operated devices; but a gun embodying the present invention is distinguished from that bythe reti-actor beinginadc not only to withdraw the block,^but to produce the necessary preparatory turning thereof, and is thereby considerably sim pliied. The present invention, however, not only includes the breech-block-operating mechanism, but improvements in the firing mechanism and in the mechanism for operating a cartridgeshell extractor.

Figure 1 is a rearviewof acannon embodying my invention, showing the breech closed. Fig. 2 is a side view of the breech portion of the gun, corresponding with Fig. 1. Fig.

represents a horizontal central section same. corresponding with Figs. l and 2. -L is a plan view of the retraetor detached from the gun. Fig. 5 is a rear view of' the lower bracket of the hin ge of the breech-block carrier. Fig. is a rear view, and Fig. 7 a vertical section,of portions ot the firing mechof the Fig.

to receive the hinge-pin E, one

anism. Fig.7is a side view of the firing-pin detached. Fig. S represents a central vertical section corresponding with Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. S represents a vertical section of partof the breech, the carrier, and part of the breechblock within the carrier. Fig. Sl is a. side view, and Fig. 8 a face view, ot' the connecting-piece by which the retraetor is connected with the breech-block. Fig. 9 is a horizontal 6o sectional view of thc breech portion of the gun with the breech open. Fic. 9* represents part. of the cartridge-shell ejector. Fig. 10 v 7o A is the breech, connterbored, screw-threaded, and longitudinally grooved to'receve e; 1n ulilated screw-threaded breech-block B, the conuterbore and the block being represented as having four longitudinal grooves. The

number of grooves is, however,- not very material; but I prefer that number, as the breechblock is thereby unscrewcd by one-eighth of a turn.

U C are two hinge-brackets affixed to the 8o breech tqj receive the hinge-pin E, by which 'the swinging breech-block carrier D D D2 is attached to the breech. The hinge is represented on the right side of the breech. The

lower bracket C is made with a flange a, which lies against the face of the breech ot' the gun, and with a flange a', which lies against the side of the breech, the said [langes receiving screws which affix the bracket to the breech.

The upper bracket C has flanges Z, which 9o receive screws by which the said bracket is aixed to the face of the breech. The hingepin E also constitutes the fulcrum for a liorivzontal hand-lever F, which serves to aetilate the whole of the breech mechanism. The said pin E in the example represented is s-upposed to be forged with or otherwise affixed to the said lever.

The carrier l) D l)2 is represented (see particularly Figs. 10 and 11) as consisting of zoo having eyes r of the said a tray 1), with two arms D D?,

Fig. 11 is a plan View 65 veyes being above and the other below the lower .hinge-bracket C, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2..

G is the breech-block retractor, consisting of a horizontal cam or cam-like plate or bar having, as shown in Fig'. 4, a deep socket c at one end, a straight slot c at the other end, and an intermediate curved slot c2. This retractor is arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,.

between the carrier D D D2 and the handlever F. 'lhe straight slot c -receives within it the hinge-pin E. The curved cam-slot c2 receives Within it a pinor upright stud f, which is secured to the hand-lever F, and the socket c receives `within it a pin d, which connects it with the breech-block, the said pin passing also through the lugs e c on the back of a connecting-piece H, (See Figs. 1,8, Sb, and 8,) on the front of which is a screw-threaded pin g, which screws into a hole provided for it in the lower part of the-breech-block .and which forms a pivotal connection with the latter. This connectingrpiece Il is represented as having at its upper end, made in the same piece with it, a curved slotted yoke p; but as this yoke constitutes no part of the breech-block-operating mechanism, but a part of the mechanism for cocking the tiring-pin, I will not here further describe it. Th-e pin d is held in place by a pin d', Figs. 1, 8", and 8, screwing into H;

The ret-ractor G, constructed, applied, and

connected,as above described,is operated by the hand-lever F in the following manner': rst to turn the breech-block in the breech, next to withdraw the 'breech-block from the breech into the carrier, 'and afterward to swing aside both the block and the carrier to open the breech for loading. When the breech-block is in its place in the breech of the gun vand locked therein, the hand-lever lies right across the face of the breech, as shown in Fig. 3. tractor, the breech-block, and the carrier-are eected by taking hold of the handle F', provided on the lever, and moving the latterto the position show n in Fig. 9. During the rst part of this movement the pin or stud f on the said lever, workingin the cam-slot c2 of the retractor, causes the latter to move in a straight line across the breech to the right, the said movement being permitted and guided by the hinge-pin which, as before mentioned, is received in the straight slot c. By the said straightmovemeut the connection of the retraetor with the breech-block by the pin d and connecting-pin ll produces the necessary turning movement of the block, and when this movement has been-accomplished the pin fin the hand-lever, still working in the camslot c2 in the retractor, causes the latter to swing backward upon the hinge-pin E, and so draw 4back the block into the tray of the carrier.

The further continued movement of the lever causes the rctractor, tliebreechblock, and the carrier-the twolatter having been locked together by the locking-latch provided for the The movements 'of the re' purpose-to swing aside and open the breech, as shown in Fig. 9. By the return movement of the lever the retraetor is caused to swing upon the hinge-pin E far enough iii-st to bring the breech-block and the carrier` together up to the breech of the gun, and then, the breechblock having been unlocked from the car-- rier, to push the block forward into the gun, after which the completion of the movement of the lever gives the retractor a movement to the left straight across the breech and causes itto turn and screw up the breechblock. All the movements of the retractor by which the breech-block and the carrier are operated are produced by the movement of the pin f of the lever` in the cam-slot of' the retractor, the movements being permitted and directed by the movement of the straight slotted part c' of the retractor on the hingepin E, When thebreech-block is screwed up, any tendency to unscrew it bythe shook of the discharge of the gun is resisted by the shock being transmitted through the connectingpiece I-I and its pin e to the retractor G, and by the latter to the pin f and-the lever F t0 the pin E, and the three pins 4e f E boing nearly in line, as shown Fig. 3, the retractor and the lever thus combine to form asubstantially rectilinear brace in a direction to resist the said tendency to unscrew.

It has been hereinbefore mentioned that the connection of the connecting-piece I-I with the -breech-block by the screw-threaded pin g of the said piece is in the lower part' of the breech block. This connection should be such that when the block is turned half-way in either direction the said pin g should be directly under the center of the block. In that case the vertical -movement of the said connecting-piece'relatively to tho retractor G, which is unavoidable, is only equal to the versed sine of the arc described by the said pin, which is comparatively small. To compensate, however, for this, the space between the lugs e e is made sufficiently greater than the dept-h of the socket c of the retractor G, as ngy be understood by reference to Figs. 1 an In order to keepthe pin'd and the connectin g-piece I-I upright and in proper relation to the retractor during the turning movement of the block, the pin got the connecting-piece m ust not be screwed up tightly into the breech block, but must be so fitted as to permit it to have a slight turning movementin the block.-

the latter in its withdrawal; but instead of providing for the stoppage of the block in the tray by shoulders at the front of the said guides h h I provide all across the back of the tray a stop-platej, against which the rear end of the block is stopped. This plate is omitted in Fig. 10, but is shown in all the other figures where the carrier is represented. The said plate is dovetailed inte the back of the carrier, as shown at j in Fig. 1l, and secured by screws j2 screwing into the tray.

Instead of locking the tray tothe breech during the forward movement of the breechblock by the retractor and of locking the tray to 'the breech by means of a tray-latch consisting of a hooked lever arranged lengthwise of the tray, as is common, I employ for the above purposes a latch consisting of two catches k k2, (see Figs. 1, 8, S, 1l, and 12,) secu red on opposite ends of a pin k, arranged lengthwise of the trayD in a bearing kk, (see Fig. 10,) provided for it in the carrier below the tray, so that the said catches work transversely tothe tray. The front catch k is for engaging with the hooked pin l, (shown in Fig. S and dotted in Figs. 1 and 9,) commonly provided on the lower part of the face of the breech for locking the tray to the breech. rlhe rear catch 11:2 for locking the carrier to the block during the return movement of the block by the retractor, is in the form of 'a trigger, as may be seen in Figs. 1 and 12, and always receives an upward pressure from the end of a leaf-spring m, which is secured to the carrier, as shown in Fig.`11, the said upward pressure serving to engage the said catch wit-h a notch n (see Fig. 8) in the breech-block when the latter is drawn t'o the back of the tray, as shown in Fig. S, and serving also to engage the catch 7c with the hooked pin l on the breech, and thereby locking the tray to the' breech when it is brought close up thereto. The end of said catch k2 is beveled in front, as shown in Figs; S, S, and 11, so that as the breech-block is being drawn back into the tray the said catch maybe s pressed down by the beveled face of a notch fn., (see Figs. l and 85,) provided on the rear face of the block opposite the notch ln', above described, and the catch 7e' is at the same time unlocked from the hooked pin l in the breech to permit the carrier to be swung aside with the breech-block as the latter is swung aside by the continued movement of the retractor G. By this construction and arrangement of the breech-locking latch the catch k2 is made to 'present a square shoulder or face te prevent the forward movement of the block in the tray during the return movement of the block and'thc carrier until the tray arrives nearly close to the breech, when the catch k2 is withdrawn from the notch n by the catch la coming against the latch-like beveled outerface'of the hooked pin l in the breech. The

trigger-like downward extension of the catch l.'2 (see Figs. l and l2) enables the carrier-tray to be unlocked from the gun or the breechblock to be unlocked from the tray by hand whenever desired.

I is the iring-pin-(shown detached in Fig.

7* and also shown in Figs. 1, 2l, and S) passing centrally through the breech-block. It is represented as of round transverse section.

J, Figs. 1, 3, 6, and 7, is lthe scar consisting of a. straight plate having a' longitudinal dovetail guide-tongue s on its back, working in a radial guide-groove in the rear face of the breech-block and having in it an opening s', (see Figs 3 and 6,) through which the firingpin passes. 'lhe firing-pin has at a short distance from its pointed frontend a collar o,

-behind which. the mainspring l is arranged within the central hele provided in the breechblock for the passage of the pin. The rear end of the" said central hole is closed by the insertion of a nut r, the front ot' which serves as an abutment 'for the mainspring q. Between one side et' this` uut and the shoulder formed bythe innerend of the dovetail tongue s the scar-spring s2 is arranged within the groove in the breech-block.

For convenience of construction the dovetail guide-tongue s a'nd the scar. itself are made oi' two pieces and secured together by a screw s. The firing-pin I has in i-t two grooves or annular notches t t', of which the forward one t, which may be called the cockin g-notch, is square-shouldered and the rearward one t', which may be called the searsetting notch, has its front shoulder beveled. When the firing-pin is drawn back, it is cocked by the inner end of the opening s' of the sear engaging in the cocking-noteh l, as shown in Fig. 6. lVhen the firing-pin is thrown forward, the scar-setting notch t', having the beveled front shoulder, is within the opening s of the scar. 'lhe inner end of the said opening s is beveled on the inner side, as shown in Fig. 3, to correspond with the bevel of the front shoulder of the settingnotch t. As the pin is drawn back from -the last-mentioned position to cock it the beveled front shoulder of the setting-notch I', coming into contact with the bevel on the inner end of the opening of the sear, causes the pin to move the latter lengthwise far enough for the setting-notch 1'. t0 escape from the opening s and permit the backward movement of the pin until itslcocking-notch t arrives at the sear, when the latter isforced by its spring s2 into its cooking posit-ion in said notch t.

'l is the trigger, consisting of a small elbow-lever pivoted by a pin fw to a slide T', which is fitted to work in a radial dovetail groove made in the face of 'thebreech in such a position that when the breech-block is screwed upthe scar and the said slide are in exact alignment with each other, as shown in Fig. 1. The trigger-slide'" has its outerend turned inward, as shown in Fig. 3, and entering a recess w', provided in the breech, and between the turned-in end of the said slide and theinner end of the said recess w" the spiral trigger-springen* is placed in said re'- cess, where it tends to force the slide 'll outward as far as permitted by the trigger, the

turned-in point of which enters a recess w3 in `the breech. By pulling the outer end of the trigger its turned-in point is pressed against the outer end of the said recess w3, and the trigger-slide T is thereby forced inward. When the sear is opposite the trigger-slide, it is capable of being pushed in by the said slide and of so liberating the ring-pin. Not only is the trigger-slide T wholly contained Within the radial groove provided for it within the breech-face, but the trigger T itself and the trigger-pin w are also for the most part contained in said groove, and the said pin w is held in place by its end being confined within said groove.

To provide for inserting the trigger-pin into its place, a vertical gx oove 104, (see Fig. 1,) just large enough for the passage of said pin is provided in the breech-face above the radial groove. To permit the insertion of this pin, the trigger-slide and trigger, when the breech-block is withdrawn, are 4pushed forward in the radial groove far enough to bring the holes provided in them for the said pin opposite to the vertical groove wt, and when the pin is inserted the trigger-spring will force out the trigger and slide to their normal position in which the pin w is confined in the radial groove, the trigger-slide not being` moved so far inward in firing as to carry the said pin to the vertical groove wi.

In the lower edge of the Sear is a notch v (see Figs. 6 and 7) for the reception of theend of a locking-piece '02, which serves the purpose of locking the sear and so causing the latter to lock'the hammer in the cocked position while the .breech is open or the breechblock is in any other position ,than tightly screwed up. This locking-piece consists ot a small sliding bolt fitted to a dovetail guiderecess in the breech-block and pressed upward or toward the sear by a small .spiral spring lvl, Fig. 7, which is arranged on a small pin lv4, which stands up from the bottom of the said dovetail recess, the bearing for the said spring being a shoulder on the said pin. The said locking-piece 'v2 has on its outer face a pin or projection/v8, through which it is operated upon, -as hereinafter described, by means of the yoke p on the top of the re tractor-connecting piece II forthe purpose of automatically unlocking the scar, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the `breech-block is screwed up.

'lhe cooking of the firing-pin might be effected by l,pulling back the said pin by a lanyard attached to an eye in the back of its head Z2; butin order to provide forits being cocked automatically by the act of screwing up the breechpiece I provide the curved slotted yoke p, hereinbefore referred to, on the connectingpiece Il, by which the connection ismade between thebreech-block and the retractor. The

- iring-pin passes through the curved slot of this yoke, the back of which is so oblique to the block, as shown in Figs. 3 and 9, that the said yoke constitutes a wedge `or cam to operate -the breech-block.

against the correspondingly-shaped front of the head Z2 of the iring-pin for the purpose of drawing back and cooking the said pin by the act of turning thebreech-block to unscrew it. When the cooking has thus taken place, the locking piece o2, before described, is pressed by its spring fr* into `the notch lv iu the sear, and the firing-pin is locked in the cocked. position, in which condition it remains during the withdrawal and swinging aside of the breech-block for loading, and during the return movement of the block into'the gun after loading and until the screwing up of the block, but just before the screwing up is completed, the projection v3 on the locking-piece 0.12 is brought under the yoke p, as shown in Fig. l, and by the completion of the screwing up the locking-piece o2, being held back, allows thesear to unlock itself. The sear, how ever, remains unmoved and keeps the iiriug pin cocked until the trigger T is pulled' when the gun is to be ired; but the pulling ofthe trigger cannot liberate the firing-pin until the sear has been unlocked by the completion of the screwing up of the breech-block, and hence all danger ot premature discharge is obviated. As duringthe'above-described act of cooking,

Iproduced by the screwing up of the breechblock, the firing-piu turns within the breechblock or the breech-block turns on the firingpin, if, in firing, the said pinwere allowed to move directly forward without control, the beveled front ot' the head-Pofthe said pin might not be left in proper position for re-engagement with the wedge or cam face of the yoke p.' Therefore to provide for the vproper control of the said pin I provide on one side of the collar o of the said pin a small project ingpin o' (see Figs. 3 and 8)' and provide in the central bore of the breech-block,through which the ringpin works, a groove o2., as shown in Fig. 3 and dotted in Fig.'8, for the said pin to work in. The said groove, having such a spiral direction, as shown by thedotted outline iu Fig. 8, keeps the'beveled front of the head proper-ly directed toward the wedge or cam faceof the yoke.4

The' cannon herein represented has its' breech-block constructed without any gascheck, as itis intended for the use of fixed ammunition; but a gun for Iring loose ammunition may be constructed in all other re. spects like that represented and described, except that the breech-block would be provided with a gas-check, which might be of any IOO IIC

known or suitable kind, audit would not need a cartridge-shell ejector.l

L, Figs.^8 and 9, is the cartridge-shell ejector, consisting of a slide which worksback and forth in a guideway cut into the lower part of the counterbore of the gun, which receives 'lhis ejector is provided,

as in my United States Letters Patent, No. 431,211, dated July 1, 1890, with a ange u, which engages with a ange u on the front of the breech-block for the purpose of starting the empty cartridge-shell from the slight backward movement given to the block by unscrewing it. lhc said flange n. on the breechblock only extends so far that it will escape from the iange a on the ejector when the breech-block is nnscrewed, and so leave the ejector in the gun nntii after the breech has l been completely opened by swinging aside of the retractor breech-block and carrier, as shown in Fig. 9. 'lhe rearcnd of the ejector has in it a slot u* to receive a pin .-r, which stands up from the arm y of a lever y', (sec Figs. 9 and S) the fnlcrum 1/'2 of which is arranged to turn freely in a lug y, (see Fig. 5,) provided on the lower hinge-bracket C, the said lever-arms-'y y being fastened securely to the said fulcrum-pin -3/2. 'lhe longer arm y is arranged above the said lug 1/fi of tho hinge-bracket, and the shorter arm y', which is a mere toe, the form of which is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 9, isbelow the said lug, and so situated that just before the outward 'movement of the carrier and tho breech-block is completed it will be struck by a toe-like projection z, (see Figs. 1, il, and 11,) and that by the completion of the said outward movement the said toe-like projection e', acting on the toe ly', will produce the backward movement of the ejector, by which the cartridgeshell will be completely withdrawn. ',lhe ejector is returned into the breech of thegun by the carrier pushing against its rear end during the act of returning the broeclbblock.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a breech-loading cannon in which the breech-block has both a turning movement on its axis and abackward-and-forward movement, the combination, with Such a breechblock, of a pivot attached to the breech of the cannon and a breech-block rctractor counected with the said block and having a slotted connection with said pivot, whereby it is capable not only of a turning movement on said pivot for retracting the said block from the gun and inserting it therein, but also of a movement across the face of the breech for the purpose of turning the said block on its axis, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a breech-loading cannon in which the breech-block has both a turning movement about its axis and a backward-and-forward movement, the eombinatiomwith such breechblock, of a pivot attached to the breech of the cannon, a breech-block retractor having at one end a slotted connection with such pivot, and a connecting-piece having a pivotal connection with the other end of said retractor and a separate pivotal connection with the breechblock, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

' 3. In a breech-loading cannon in which the breech-block has both a movement aboutits axisand a directbacInvard-andforward movement, the combination, with such breechblock, of a fulcrum-pin attached to the breech` ofthe gun, a lever working .on said fulcrunr' pin and carrying a second pin. and a retractor consistingol a cam-plate fcnneeted pivotally with the breech-block and engaging withsaid fnlerum-pin and siaid ser-'ond pin lor the two -pnrposes lof producing the movement'about the axis` and the directl I`or\\'a'rd-n |nl-b:n-.l\ward movement oi lhc brocoli-block by tho movement oi' said lever, subslaut iallyns herein set i'ol'l-il.

In a lneoch-loxnlinf..r cannoli in which the breech-block is withdrawn in a rearward direction. the combination, with tin` breechblock carrier hinged to the breech ol' the caunon. of a hand-lever attached to the breech to move independently of the carrier and carrying a pin or stud, and a swinging retractor connected with the bmech-hloek and having apivotal connection with the breech` on which pivotal connection it works independentlyol thehand-lever and carrier and having a direct engagement with said pin or stud on the hand-lever, substantially as herein-set forth.

ln a ln'eech-hmding cannoli in which the breech-block has both a movement about its axis and a lackwaril-andl`orward movement., the combination of a breech block carrier hinged lio the breech ol' the cannon. a level* and a. Fulcrum-pin -lor thc-same attached to the breech, and a retractmconsist-ing olv a cam-plate connected lo the -brecch-biock and engaging with said lever for the purposes ot rotractiug it i'rom the breech-into the carrier and ot pushing it from the carrier into the breech, substantially as herein set forth.

o. In a breech-loadingcannon in which the breech-block has a turning movement about its axis and a directbackward-aml-forward movement, the combinatii'm ol' a fulcrum-pin attached to the breech ol' the cannon, a lever working on said l'ulcrum-pin and carrying a second pin, a breech-block reti-actor consisting of a cam-plate having two slots, by one ot' which it engagcs with said second pin and by the other with said fulcrnm-pin, and a connecting-piece haviug'a pivotal connection with the breech-block and a separate pivotal connection with the breech-block rctractor,

substantially as herein set tort-h.

7. 'lhe combination, with the breech 0E the cannon, the breech-block capable el moving backward and forward therein, the swinging breech-block carrier, and the lookinghook l on the breech, ot' the locking-latch, consisting-of a pivot lr, arranged lengthwise of the tray of the carrier and having at its ends catches k k2 to engage, respectively, with the said locking-hook l, and with a notch n in the breech-block by a movement transverse to the tray, substantially as herein set forth.

8. The combination, with the gunand the breech-block-iitted to turn on its axis therein and the firing-pin passing through t-he block oE a connecting-piece attached' to said block for turning it and provided with a cam for engaging with and cooking' the firing-pin, substantially as herein set forth.

9. In a breech-.loading cannon in which the breech-block hasa turning movement on its TOO IIC

axis and in whiohthero is'a. firing-pin passing through said breech-block, the combination, with a. cam plate or bar and moans of moving the same 'across the breech for turning the latter, of n.connecting-piecehotweon the said plato or bar :md thc breech-block and the tiring-pin, the said connor-.ting-piece'lmving :t pivot-al connection with tho breech-block and e separate pivotal connection with the said cam plate or bei' and havingon it n, cam for engaging with the firing-pin for the purpose -of cooking the said pin, substantielly as hercin set forth.

10. The combination, with the breech-block and the .tiring-pin passing through the same, ot the projection o on the firing-pin and the spiral guide o2, provided in the breech-block to receive said projection for the purpose of preventing the firing-pin from turning with the breech-block, substantially as herein Liescribed.

11.- `The combination, with the screw breechblock, the Sear tted radially to said block, and the connectingpiece attached to the breech-block for turning the latter, of the looking-piece 'v2 fus, fitted to the breech-block to engage with the Sear for lockngthe same and to he disengaged by said conneotlng-piece scribed'.

SAMUEL SEABURY. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, L. M. EGBERT. 

